Generally, operator stations contain a support structure and carry fragile equipment such as plasma screens or sensitive electronics that are isolatingly suspended from the support structure in order to isolated the fragile equipment from the shock and vibration forces received by the support structure.
One such use of operator stations is in ships which carry large fragile equipment and other uses include land vehicles. One fragile component that requires protection is the high mass plasma display screen, although other types of fragile components also require protection from the shock and vibration forces received by the support structure. In order to isolate the shock and vibration forces received by the support structure from the fragile equipment some type of independent suspension mounting of the fragile equipment is required. One of the difficulties is the independent mounting of the fragile equipment, such as plasma screens, is that the plasma screens are quite heavy in relation to their size and require substantial mounts to support the static weight of the display. On the other hand the mounts must still be able to absorb a shock force or a vibration force to the support structure in order to protect the fragile equipment while at the same time supporting the static weight of the fragile display.
Various elastomeric materials have been used, or suggested for use, to provide shock and/or vibration damping as stated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,766,720, which issued on Jun. 16, 1998 to Yamagishi, et al. These materials include natural rubbers and synthetic resins such as polyvinyl chlorides, polyurethane, polyamides polystyrenes, copolymerized polyvinyl chlorides, and poloyolefine synthetic rubbers as well as synthetic materials such as urethane, EPDM, styrene-butadiene rubbers, nitrites, isoprene, chloroprenes, propylene, and silicones. The particular type of elastomeric material is not critical but urethane material sold under the trademark Sorbothane  is currently employed. Suitable material is also sold by Aero E.A.R. Specialty Composites, as Isoloss VL. The registrant of the mark Sorbothane  for urethane material is the Hamiltion Kent Manufacturing Company (Registration No. 1,208,333), Kent, Ohio 44240.
Generally, the shape and configuration of elastomeric isolators have a significant effect on the shock and vibration attenuation characteristics of the elastomeric isolators. The elastomeric isolators employed in the prior art are commonly formed into geometric 3D shapes, such as spheres, squares, right circular cylinders, cones, rectangles and the like as illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,776,720. These elastomeric isolators are typically attached to a housing to protect equipment within the housing from the effects of shock and vibration through compression resistance of the isolators.
The prior art elastomeric isolators are generally positioned to rely on an axial compression of the elastomeric material in order to provide both static and dynamic support. Generally, if the elastomeric isolator is loaded in an axial compressive mode, where the force between the spaced-apart flat plates is normal to the support surfaces at all points of the surfaces, the ability of the elastomeric isolator to attenuate shock and vibration is limited by the compressive characteristics of the material. On the other hand if placed in a tension mode the elastomer material is generally limited in the ability to support a static weight but is effective in isolating a load from both shock and vibration forces. Consequently, for support of heavier articles it is preferred to support an article in the axial compressive mode as elastomeric isolators provide substantial static support to a housing, which allows elastomeric isolators to be placed beneath the housing to support the static weight of the housing. However, supporting an article in the compressive mode generally reduces the ability of the elastomer mount to isolate the article from shock and vibration forces.
In general, if the elastomeric isolators are positioned in a shear or tension mode as opposed to an axial compression mode the elastomeric isolators provide better shock and vibration attenuating characteristics in response to dynamic forces due to shock and vibration. Unfortunately, elastomeric isolators, which operate in a shear or tension mode generally do not provide substantial static support. Consequently, to provide static support for a housing, as well as effective shock and vibration attenuation characteristics the elastomeric isolators, which operate in the shear or tension mode, can be placed along side or above a housing so that the elastomeric isolators can function in a shear or tension mode while other mounts either tensionally or compressingly supporting the static weight of the housing. The difficult with such placement is that if the equipment is heavy it is difficult to obtain both the necessary static support and dynamic response in the same type of elastomer isolator.
One type of elastomer isolator, which is shown in my copending patent application Ser. No. 10/261,404 Filed Sep. 30, 2002 and titled FOUR-SIDED ELASTOMER MOUNT discloses a uniquely shaped elastomer that utilizes the shape of the elastomer mount in conjunction with the characteristics of the elastomer to provide static support and at the same time isolation from shock and vibration forces. The mount includes an elongated base at each end with the elongated basses located in a transverse conduit to each other and is herein incorporated by reference.
As pointed out above one of the more sensitive type of fragile equipment in use today are the plasma screens. Typically, the plasma screens require greater shock and vibration protection than other equipment since the rigid nature of glass limits the ability of glass to absorb shock and vibrations without breaking. Yet, the plasma screens can be quite massive and require a strong static supports for supporting the plasma screen. Because of the requirement of providing continuous static support for a heavy or massive object such as the plasma screen and at the same time being able to absorb the shock and vibration forces thereto compression supports are used to support the sensitive plasma screens which can leave the plasma screens subject to damage from large shock and vibration forces on the supporting structure.
It has been found that one can provide an operator station with effective shock and vibration isolation for fragile equipment such as plasma screens, which may have a substantial mass, by use of quadral elastomers that cantileverly support the static weight of the fragile as well as isolating the plasma screen from shock and vibration forces received by the support structure to isolates the plasma screen from shock and vibration.